All 13 survivors found to be in good health

All the 12 young Wild Boars footballers and their coach who have been rescued after being trapped for two weeks in Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai were this morning pronounced to be in good health, with some already starting to eat normal foods and walking unaided.

Speaking at a press conference, Dr. Thongchai Lertvilairattanapong, a health inspector of the Public Health Ministry, said the last group of five survivals brought out in a dramatic rescue operation yesterday were found to be in normal health conditions. “They have normal temperatures and blood pressure. Only one of them has signs of lung inflammation,” he said.

He also said that all the survivors arrived at Chiang Rai hospital physically and mentally alert. There had been speculation that the young survivors were tranquilized before being helped out of the cave. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-on-cha yesterday dismissed the speculation but admitted they were given anxiolytics to reduce anxiety.

He estimated that each of the survivors had lost an average of two kilogrammes in weight after having spent the first 10 days without foods and having to contend only with limited amounts of energy foods after they were discovered by a rescue team.

All the boys and coach are being kept in an isolation ward and while they can communicate with each other, they are not allowed to mingle with each for the time being.

The health of the first batch of four who were brought out on Sunday has been restored and have started eating normal foods, he said, adding that they were all found to be fever-free and can walk to restrooms by themselves.

He said their families in protection suits were allowed to visit the four boys but were kept two metres apart. The second batch of the survivors pulled out of the cave on Monday will today be able to receive their families after they were found to be recovering well with no serious infections. They will be allowed to have normal foods this evening.

Thousands of divers and volunteers were involved in the high-risk rescue mission and Dr Thongchai said they will all be issued with special health cards for medical care in the event they later develop certain symptoms of sicknesses that could be traced back to the Tham Luang operation.

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